Students and the general public will learn about Florida's key role
as NASA's "Gateway to Mars," and meet with scientists,
engineers, educators and others working on these and other Mars
exploration missions. Children of all ages are invited to playtime with
working robot rovers.

The Mars Exploration Rovers, described as two robot geologists, are
being prepared for launch this spring aboard Boeing Delta II rockets from
the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and are due to land on and start
exploring Mars in January 2004. Once on Mars, they will communicate
with controllers at NASA?s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.,
where the rovers were built.

For more information or to schedule a speaker to talk to your school
or community about Mars Exploration, contact the NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory Resident Office at Kennedy Space Center at 321/867-3731.